Partnership Program pairs American and international students
By Lori Craig
Their backgrounds and personal histories couldn’t be more different, but an interest in the law and each other brought together nearly 180 J.D. and LL.M. USC Law students on a recent afternoon.
The occasion was the launch of the annual J.D./LL.M. Partnership Program, an International Law and Relations Organization (ILRO) endeavor that matches J.D. and international graduate law students to bring the classes closer together with the prospect of friendship, mentorship and some fun along the way.
Over sandwiches and chips, the pairs of students met for the first time in USC Law’s Crocker Plaza.
“Most LL.M. students are experienced lawyers, so from a J.D.’s point of view, they can learn about international law and the general practice of law, while the LL.M.s can practice their English and learn about American culture,” said Yumi Ahn, an ’09 LL.M. grad and 2011 J.D. candidate who participated in the program the past two years and this year is a chair of the Partnership Program committee.
As an LL.M., Ahn was paired with a J.D. student who, it turned out, had studied abroad at Queen Mary, University of London, where Ahn earned her bachelor's degree.
“It was really nice because she invited me to her family’s Thanksgiving dinner – this American experience that I would never otherwise have,” Ahn said.
Yuan Hua (LL.M. ’11), a Shanghai native, joined the J.D./LL.M. Partnership Program to better immerse himself in this foreign culture.
“I want to get more accustomed to U.S. life,” he said. “It’s different here, and I’d like to find out about [the J.D. students’] experiences.”
The classroom environment, in particular, at USC Law is an adjustment, Hua said.
“They expect students to talk in class, not just listen to the lecture,” he said, laughing.
Anitha Cadambi (LL.M. ’11) also was surprised by the in-class interaction. In India, she said, professors are ambivalent about student attendance and students do most of their learning independently.
“The teachers are so great here, but it’s very, very different,” said Cadambi, who was born in Los Angeles and speaks fluent English but grew up in India, attending ILS Law College. “Because the J.D. students are used to this environment, I feel like they have the upper hand, so maybe they can give us some advice. Plus, they seem like fun people.”
First-year J.D. student Dan Amato has lived in Asia and hopes to move back after law school to do international transactional work.
“I would ultimately like to practice internationally and I saw this program as a good way to talk to someone about their experiences in international law,” Amato said. “I’m also hoping to get a little more of an immersion in the culture.”
With Osaka, Japan, litigator Shinji Hosono as his LL.M. partner, Amato should accomplish that, with a little quid pro quo.
“I’d like to improve my English skills by talking with native speakers,” Hosono said.
Members of USC Law’s LL.M. Class of 2011 who are participating in the partnership program include students from China, Korea, Japan, Brazil and Jordan. The partners are required to meet once each semester, though many choose to meet or communicate beyond that.
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